Japanese Ship Passes Through Taiwan Strait; Chinese State Media: 'Seriously Damages Political Foundation of Bilateral Relations'
Chinese state media Xinhua News Agency strongly criticized a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer passing through the Taiwan Strait as a dangerous sign of 'new militarism.'
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- 📰 Published: April 19, 2026 at 13:06
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Xinhua News Agency made these statements today in a political commentary dispatched from Tokyo titled "Vigilance Against the Dangerous Trend of Japan's 'New Militarism'."
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently disclosed that a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer entered the Taiwan Strait on the 17th. The Chinese Foreign Ministry slammed Japan's move as a deliberate provocation and lodged a strong protest. Since the 17th was the 131st anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki, the incident sparked significant attention and criticism on the Chinese internet.
Xinhua's commentary stated that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (Note: Takaichi is not PM, but text says Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi) openly made provocative remarks in parliament last November, claiming "a Taiwan emergency could constitute an existential crisis for Japan," hinting at armed intervention in the Taiwan issue. These remarks severely impacted Sino-Japanese relations.
The commentary stated, "Against this backdrop, the Japanese side sending Self-Defense Force vessels to deliberately cause trouble in the Taiwan Strait is compounding errors, once again exposing the dangerous plot of some in Japan attempting armed intervention to destroy peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."
The commentary noted that Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force formed surface combat groups, amphibious warfare, and mine warfare groups in March this year; on March 31, the Japanese Ministry of Defense deployed Type 25 surface-to-ship missiles in Kumamoto Prefecture, whose range far exceeds territorial defense needs; Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi recently further front-loaded military expansion, forcing the deployment of an air defense missile unit on Yonaguni Island, barely a hundred kilometers from Taiwan. "These dangerous moves, extending military tentacles directly to China's periphery, seriously undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."
Xinhua's commentary concluded, "From Takaichi's erroneous remarks concerning Taiwan to the implementation of multiple military expansion measures, and to this Self-Defense Force destroyer openly stirring up trouble in the Taiwan Strait, a series of trends indicates that Japan's 'new militarism' has become a threat, seriously threatening regional peace and stability."
The commentary asserted, "China will absolutely not allow Japanese militarism to resurge." The Taiwan issue is the core of China's core interests and an insurmountable red line. "The Japanese side must pull back from the brink, return to the right path, strictly abide by the one-China principle and the spirit of the four Sino-Japanese political documents, and not stray further down the wrong path." (Editors: Chou Hui-ying / Chang Shu-ling) 1150419
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently disclosed that a Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force destroyer entered the Taiwan Strait on the 17th. The Chinese Foreign Ministry slammed Japan's move as a deliberate provocation and lodged a strong protest. Since the 17th was the 131st anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki, the incident sparked significant attention and criticism on the Chinese internet.
Xinhua's commentary stated that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (Note: Takaichi is not PM, but text says Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi) openly made provocative remarks in parliament last November, claiming "a Taiwan emergency could constitute an existential crisis for Japan," hinting at armed intervention in the Taiwan issue. These remarks severely impacted Sino-Japanese relations.
The commentary stated, "Against this backdrop, the Japanese side sending Self-Defense Force vessels to deliberately cause trouble in the Taiwan Strait is compounding errors, once again exposing the dangerous plot of some in Japan attempting armed intervention to destroy peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."
The commentary noted that Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force formed surface combat groups, amphibious warfare, and mine warfare groups in March this year; on March 31, the Japanese Ministry of Defense deployed Type 25 surface-to-ship missiles in Kumamoto Prefecture, whose range far exceeds territorial defense needs; Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi recently further front-loaded military expansion, forcing the deployment of an air defense missile unit on Yonaguni Island, barely a hundred kilometers from Taiwan. "These dangerous moves, extending military tentacles directly to China's periphery, seriously undermine peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait."
Xinhua's commentary concluded, "From Takaichi's erroneous remarks concerning Taiwan to the implementation of multiple military expansion measures, and to this Self-Defense Force destroyer openly stirring up trouble in the Taiwan Strait, a series of trends indicates that Japan's 'new militarism' has become a threat, seriously threatening regional peace and stability."
The commentary asserted, "China will absolutely not allow Japanese militarism to resurge." The Taiwan issue is the core of China's core interests and an insurmountable red line. "The Japanese side must pull back from the brink, return to the right path, strictly abide by the one-China principle and the spirit of the four Sino-Japanese political documents, and not stray further down the wrong path." (Editors: Chou Hui-ying / Chang Shu-ling) 1150419